Connecting device for elevator-doors.



- PATENT-E1 MAY 21, 1907,

No. 853,950. Y

' H.- BITNER.

CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELEVATOR nouns.

APPLICATION FILED MAE- 3, 1906.

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I-IARRY BITNER, OF ESTES PARK, COLORADO.

CONNECTING DEVICE FOR ELEVATOR-DOORS.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1907.

Application filed March 3,1906. Serial No. 303,955.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY BITNER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Estes Park, in the county of Larimer and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connecting Devices for Elevator-Doors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in connecting devices for elevator doors, the purpose of which is to time the movements of two doors, so that they may move simultaneously and at different speeds, and both reach the open and closed positions at the same time. In this class of doors it is customary to arrange two or more doors to 'fere in any way with the beauty of move in parallel planes from a closed position, in which the combined lateral extent of the doors serves to close an opening, to an open position in which the doors lie one along side of the other and are accommodated in a space, the lateral extent of which need be equal only to the width of one of the doors. Doors of this class are ordinarily made of open grille-work invarious ornamental designs making it exceedingly desirable that the connecting device be capable of arrangements back of or in line with the outer framework of the doors when the doors are closed so as to be concealed from persons in front of said doors. In this way the devices do not interthe open work making up the door panels. It is also desirable that the doors be so connected that they may be operated by moving what will be called the fast door, which term will be applied to the door having the greater range of movement and consequently moving faster than the other door or doors. In order that the inertia of the doors may be overcome with the least possible exertion on the part of the operator the fast door should be capable of starting at its maximum speed without transmitting to the slower door the maximum movement of the latter, and this should apply both to the opening and closing movement of the doors.

In the drawings illustratingmy present invention, Figure 1 IS an elevation of a pair of doors showing the closed position of these doors in full lines, and a partially open position in dotted lines. The lower portions of the doors are cut away, being unnecessary to the illustration; Fig. 2 1s a similar elevation showing the doors in the open position.

Referring to these drawings, A, A are two parallel tracks such as are ordinarily used to carry doors of this sort.

B, B are two doors carried upon the praclgs, A, A by ordinary hangers, bb, 1 1- i O, represents a portion of the transom forming part of a stationary elevator inclosure. parallel planes from the position seen in Fig. 1 to that seen in Fig. 2.

To the transom, O, a bracket, D, is secured extending over the tracks and hangers and downward to afford a pivotal connection, d, for an angle-lever, E, one arm, a, of which is seen in Fig. 1, extending horizontally from the pivotal point to a second pivotal point, f, where it is pivoted to a vertical rod or link,

lF, the lower end of which is pivoted at, f, to the rear edge of the fast door, B. The other arm 6 of the angle-lever extends downward from the pivotal point and is turned horizontally at 6 to extend into a slot, 9, between the rear edge of the slow door and a bar, 9 secured thereto along the same.

The two doors are arranged to slide informed Starting with the doors in the position shown in Fig. 1, the operator in opening the doors draws the fast door, B, toward the left, swinging the link, F, into the position shown in dotted, lines, the movement of the link being governed by its pivotal connections with the fast door and with the end of the arm, 6, of the an glelever, E. This movement of the link draws said arm, 6, downward and swings the other arm, e of the lever toward the left moving the slow door in that direction. The final position of the doors is shown in Fig. 2, in which the arms ofthe angle-lever have been swung substantially degrees carrying the end of the arm, a, to the top of the slot, 9, the arm, 0, into the position formerly occupied by the arm, e and the link, F, into a substantially horizontal position across the rear side of the fast door. In closing the doors the movements of the parts are in the opposite direction, and it should be noticed that the velocity of the slow door varies as compared with that of the fast door increas ing from both extreme positions to an intermediate position, and then decreasing from that position until it reaches the extreme of its movement in that direction. For instance, in opening the doors the lower end of the link, F, moves in a line tangential to an 15 ticed by the slow connection with the opening movement.

movement at the instant of starting does not affect the position of the pivotal point, j, and commencing with the succeeding instant it gives to the point, f, a gradual acceleration of movement which operates to overcome the inertia of the slow door without retarding noticeably the speed of the fast door.

Commencing now with the parts in the position seen in Fig. 2, the initial movement of the fast door transmits an equal movement to the two ends of the angle-lever, but the end, 6 of said lever starts downward in the slot, 9, in an arc tangent to said slot, so that the first movement of the lever is hardly nodoor and its continued movement gradually accelerates the speed of the slow door affording the same ease in the closing movement as has been described in In this Way the connecting device shown operates to carry the slow door in the same direction as the fast door at a speed which brings the two into their respective extreme positions at the same time, and yet applies the push of the fast door upon the slow door in such a manner as to overcome the inertia of the latter gradually when starting in either direction.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with two doors sliding in parallel planes, of a connecting device between the two comprising an angle-lever and a link, the angle-lever being pivoted between its ends to a support stationary with relatiml. to the doors, said lever having one of its arms in running engagement with the slow door and the other arm pivoted to one end of the link, and said link being pivoted at its other end to the fast door.

2. The combination with two parallel sliding doors, of a connecting device comprising a right-angle lever pivoted at its angle to a support stationary with relation to the two doors substantially in line with the rear edge of the slow door, one of the arms of said lever extending substantiall parallel with said rear edge and having a running engagement therewith, the other arm of said lever extending across the upper portion of the slow door to a point substantially in. line with the rear edge of the fast door, and a link pivoted at its upper end to the end of the latter arm, and at its lower end to the rear edge of the fast door.

In witness whereof I have signed the above ap .)lication.for Letters Patent at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 10th day of February, A. D. .1906,

HARR Y BITNEH. lVitnesses CHAS. O. SHERVEY, K. M. CORNWALL. 

